The Brain-Damaged Planet
(Gold Key TOS) | number = 58 | date = 2267 | stardate = 3315.5 | artist = Alden McWilliams | writer = George Kashdan | omnibus = | published = | format = | pages = 22 | publisher = Gold Key Comics }} Can Dr. McCoy cure the Brain-Damaged Planet? – The Brain-Damaged Planet was a Star Trek comic book story published by Gold Key Comics in 1978, the 58th issue of their ''TOS'' series. It was the 19th issue drawn by Alden McWilliams and the ninth written by George Kashdan. In this story, McCoy must help a planet fend off huge parasites, or its inhabitants will all be driven mad. Description ;Teaser page :In one moment, there was peace and tranquility… in another, havoc reigned! And behind it was a force as insidious as a cosmic plague, more explosive than a super-nova! Summary :Captain's log, star date 3313.5: On exploratory mission to a little known sector of the galaxy, sensor readings indicate an asteroid with life forms… Having found an inhabited, ringed, class M asteroid, Captain James T. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and geologist Freyer beamed down. Strangely, peaceful-looking towns coexisted with devastated portions. Kirk introduced his landing party to the indigenous humanoid population, showing them how McCoy took readings with his medical tricorder and how Freyer took soil samples. When Freyer tasted one of the samples, one of the locals panicked. Suddenly, everyone in the town went insane and started to attack the landing party. The Starfleet officers fled into a cavern on a hillside. McCoy wanted to analyze the erratic brainwave patterns he'd detected in the humanoids. Freyer himself then went insane and threatened to kill them with his phaser. Spock was able to knock him out with a Vulcan nerve pinch. In sickbay, McCoy diagnosed Freyer with Akwood's syndrome, a curable viral infection that causes temporary insanity. However, the antidote wasn't working. :Captain's log, star date 3315.9: Mr. Spock has summoned us to the bridge, where an even stranger sight has been projected onto the main view screen! Spock discovered that a Giant Brain organism lived within the core of the asteroid, one which generated large quantities of life energy into the lifeforms on the surface. This brain entity had been infected by Akwood's syndrome 100 millennia ago. Since then, the viral agent had mutated into a huge strain. As the senior officers discussed how or whether the Prime Directive applied, Freyer experienced a second spell of insanity, requiring a tranquilizer to calm him. Kirk decided to try to cure Freyer and the Giant Brain. Freyer's infection allowed him to sense the location of the viruses, so he accompanied Kirk and McCoy as they materialized within the brain entity. Huge antibodies pursued them. Freyer led Kirk and McCoy toward a crevasse containing a large concentration of the viruses. Freyer leapt into the crevasse and lured the remaining viruses into one spot. At Freyer's urging, and with antibodies surrounding them, McCoy sprayed the antidote all through the crevasse. All of the viruses collapsed and died, but not before they'd killed Freyer. References Characters :Christine Chapel • Freyer • Giant Brain • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Spock • Montgomery Scott • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura Starships and vehicles : ( ) Locations :Unnamed class M asteroid Races and cultures :Human • Vulcan • Unnamed races and cultures States and organizations :Federation • Starfleet Science and technology :Akwood's syndrome • antibody • brainwave • class M • computer • • flame thrower • geology • germ • life force • medical tricorder • phaser • physiology • poison • radio • science • serum • spray-cylinder • stun • tranquilizer • transporter • tricorder • virus Ranks and titles :captain • doctor • geologist • lieutenant • medical officer • nurse • officer • orderly • science officer • short order cook Other references :asteroid • atmosphere • blood • brain • bridge • cave • century • civilization • colony • communications • Human • insanity • logic • orbit • organism • parasite • planet • Prime Directive • sickbay • soil • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • universe • Vulcan neck pinch Timeline Chronology ; 107,600 years ago : Giant Brain first became infected with Akwood's syndrome ; 2267 : Enterprise crew discovered the Giant Brain within a class M asteroid Appendices Background * The existence of life energy was postulated by the Leiber-Kurtzberg Theory but dismissed as a crackpot idea until it was proven and measured in . In "The Brain-Damaged Planet", Spock presented life energy and life forces as proven ideas to Kirk and McCoy. Consequently, this story might take place after "The Hunger". * Freyer was one of a handful of Enterprise crewmen who sacrificed their lives in Gold Key Comics stories. Others were Hunt "The Planet of No Return" and Jinz in "The Planet of No Life". * While referred to as an asteroid, the stellar body appeared more like a dwarf planet or planetoid. * Kirk stated that Starfleet regulations prohibited them from interfering in local activities unless their lives were threatened. * Although Montgomery Scott was given command while the landing party explored the asteroid, he and Nyota Uhura each appeared in three panels and had one line. Christine Chapel appeared in two panels in sickbay with one line. Hikaru Sulu appeared on the bridge in two panels without dialogue. * When Kirk made first contact with the indigenous humanoid population, he announced to them that the landing party came from another world. * Spock stated that the Prime Directive could be circumvented in situations such as experienced in this story, where an invading alien virus had disrupted the development of civilization. * This story has not been reprinted in English but was translated into German and Dutch. Related stories * – A massive force of life energy inhabited the core of the Hollow Planet. * – Rampant violence was celebrated during "Festival" times on Beta III. * – Inhabitants developed bouts of temporary insanity from exposure to gases from Sanduy's Comet. * – An enormous organism erupted out of the core of a planet. * – Huge antibodies within a cosmic cloud acted to defend it against the invading Enterprise. Images gold Key 58.jpg|Cover image. gK58-Freyer.jpg|Geologist Freyer. akwood's-syndrome-virus.jpg|James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy fighting mutated viruses. gK58-Giant-Brain.jpg|Giant Brain. Connections " | after= "Operation Con Game" }} " | nextMB = "Death of a Star" }} Production history ;December 1978 : First published by Gold Key Comics. ;September 2008 : Included on The Complete Comic Book Collection DVD (Graphic Imaging Technologies) Translations ;1979 : Dutch: In the omnibus Ruimteschip Enterprise Classics Strip-Paperback #3 (De Vrijbuiter) ;1979 : German: As "Das Gehirn des Asteroiden" in the omnibus Raumschiff Enterprise Comic Taschenbuch #3 (Condor) ;1980 : German: As "Das Gehirn des Asteroiden" in some editions of Condor Superheiden #1: Star Trek Jahrbuch (Condor-Verlag) External link * category:tOS comics